Getty RJ Barrett of the New York Knicks shoots a lay up against Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors.
The New York Knicks look to be on track to clinching their second postseason berth over the last three seasons and their eighth since the turn of the century.
However, unlike the vast majority of these past excursions, some high-end NBA figures believe this team has a legitimate shot at making a serious run.
CBS Sports’ Bill Reiter shared in a March 14 piece the thoughts of one anonymous top league executive regarding this year’s Knicks team.
The exec went as far as to state that, considering the current landscape of the Eastern Conference’s playoff race, there does not appear to be one singular team that should be considered impenetrable.
In turn, he suggests that such a situation could allow New York to perhaps pull off a surprise run similar to that of the 2015 Golden State Warriors.
“Of course, when Golden State won that (first) championship, in the middle of that season I don’t think anyone saw what they were going to be. Can the Knicks be some version of that? Everyone labeled Brunson just a guy, and he’s so much more than that. I was wrong on him too. I thought he was good, but he’s taken it to another level. Next is to see what he can do in the playoffs, but a lot of us were wrong on him,” the executive said.
Now, by no means should anyone suggest that this 2022-23 iteration of the Knicks is anywhere close to the level that the 2014-15 Warriors were in terms of talent, nor are they as deep as their sturdy 10-man rotation.
To be clear, the executive, nor Reiter, seem to be doing this.
However, what is being said is that, similar to the Dubs, New York has continued to defy preseason expectations as the campaign has progressed, with the exec noting: “It’s obviously come together at a higher level than any of us really thought for them.”
With this, he believes “the growing parity, and cluster of would-be contenders” may be leaving possible postseason breakout teams lurking in the shadows, and, among said teams, could be the Knicks.
Knicks Star High on Team’s Overall Talent
Though the New York Knicks were able to claim the number four seed in the Eastern Conference standings and head into the playoffs with home-court advantage in 2020-21, All-Star big man Julius Randle seems to believe that this current sixth-seed has more talent and is overall better in comparison.
“I think we’re a better team,” Randle said, via the New York Post. “More talented team.”
“I think we are, for sure. Think we’re a better team. More talented team. But we’ve got to take everything step by step. We’re not there yet”
— Julius Randle on whether this season’s Knicks are better than the 4th seeded Knicks of 2 seasons ago
Despite the addition of top-flight talent upgrades such as Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, it has been Randle who has been leading the charge for the Knicks all season, even playing at a higher level than he was during his 2021 All-NBA campaign.
Through 70 games played, the big man finds himself posting sensational averages of 25.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists while shooting 45.9% from the field. With his efforts this season, he was rewarded with the second All-Star nod of his career.
Knicks Big Issues Cryptic Tweet
Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson has been stirring up attention with a cryptic message on his personal Twitter account.
Following New York’s recent win over the Los Angeles Lakers, the fifth-year center posted the acronym “lol” with no other context attached.
When asked by a fan what he meant by the post, Robinson only strengthened the mystery of his comment by issuing a two-word response.
“You’ll see,” wrote Robinson.
This tweet is by no means the first time Mitchell Robinson has brought attention to himself via social media, as he recently posted a tweet self-proclaiming himself to be “the best center in New York,” which was perceived by Nets fans as a subliminal dig at Brooklyn big, Nicholas Claxton.